The present invention relates generally to the field of skin care, and, more particularly, to devices and methods for treating skin with a combination of a treatment gas and simultaneous neuro-muscular electrical stimulation.
The use of oxygen to promote healing of wounds, burns, and infections has been documented. Nielsen discloses a device for treatment of wounds by exposure to jets in U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,041. A series of inlet and outlet openings ventilate a space between the device and the wound area. The device is fixed over the area of the wound by means of plaster or tape.
Loori discloses a collapsible topical hyperbaric apparatus in U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,697. A gas inlet tube introduces oxygen to a shell covering the treated area. An adhesive sealing ring on the bottom of the unit secures the device to the affected area in conjunction with a belt.
These and other devices, while providing a chamber to apply oxygen to a wound, are difficult to apply, remove and re-apply. The previous devices are sometimes ineffective in particularly difficult-to-heal wounds.
Neuro-muscular electrical stimulation is the known technique of applying an electrical current to the skin to stimulate the contraction of muscles. One known device for performing neuro-muscular electrical stimulation is the RS-2 Muscle Stimulator provided by RS Medical, Inc. of Vancouver, Wash. Neuro-muscular stimulation is used to stimulate the flow of blood to an area of the skin by repeated contraction and relaxation of nearby muscles.
It has been found that the simultaneous application of a treatment gas such as oxygen to the skin while simultaneously providing electrical stimulus to the same area of skin promotes beneficial effects such as wound healing, hair growth, pain relief and generally improved health of the skin tissues. The treatment gas may further be used as a carrier for the delivery of various medicines to the skin surface, wherein the improved circulation generated by the neuro-muscular stimulation results in the efficient absorption of the medicine into the body. The method promotes healing of wound areas not responsive to other forms of treatment. Wounds, burns and infections which have been unresponsive to treatment gas application alone are responsive when subjected to both treatment gas and electrical stimulation in adjacent areas.
A method of treating a wound is described herein as including providing a flow of oxygen to the wound while applying an electrical current to the skin proximate the wound. The oxygen may be provided through a treatment gas applicator adhered to or positioned proximate the skin. The electrical current may be provided through at least one electrode attached to the skin proximate the wound.
One embodiment is described wherein a medicine is provided within the flow of a treatment gas to the surface of the skin. An electrical current applied to the skin to cause neuro-muscular contractions will increase the flow of blood in the skin, thereby aiding in the absorption of the medicine into the blood stream through the skin surface. Medicines that may be administered in this manner include antibiotics, pain medication, hair growth compounds, vitamins and other nutrients, etc.
The temperature of the flow of treatment gas to the skin may be controlled as part of a skin treatment regiment to reduce pain and/or to curb infection. In one embodiment for the treatment of a wound, the temperature of the treatment gas is at least 103 degrees Fahrenheit during a first time period and no more than 94 degrees Fahrenheit during a second time period.
A variety of benefits may be obtained by a method of treating skin including the steps of providing a flow of a treatment gas to a skin surface and applying an electrical current to the skin surface during the step of providing a flow of treatment gas. Such benefits may include retarding the aging of skin, reducing wrinkles, stimulating hair growth and improved healing of wounds. The application of electrical current to the skin increases the circulation of blood near the skin surface, thereby facilitating the absorption of the treatment gas components into the skin and blood stream.
A device for delivering a treatment gas to a wound may include a seal gasket adhered to the skin with an age-degradable adhesive. The seal gasket may also be used as a base for the repeated application of a grid pattern for photographically measuring the size of a wound over a plurality of time periods. By disposing the grid pattern very close to the wound, the accuracy of the wound measurements is made less sensitive to changes in the height of the camera used to photograph the grid/wound.